Annette Alice Meckel Atkins

Annette was born in Mexico City, Mexico, on May 19, 1924. She received her education at the American School Foundation, graduating with the Class of ’42, and started her first job with the United States Embassy. After raising her three children, Clive, Claire, and Amy from her first marriage in 1949, she married Samuel George Atkins in 1970.

Annette began her career at the American School in 1959, where she was placed in charge of the school bus system that grew to serve thousands of students. Several years later she assumed the position of Director of Public Relations and Fundraising. The U.S. State Department, greatly impressed by her achievements, arranged numerous trips for her across Latin America to share her successful strategies with other American schools.

Annette became well-known and liked by students due to her many years at the American School, her volunteer work with the Girl Guides, and her involvement in Boy Scouting and Camp Amarac alongside her beloved husband, Sam. In recognition of her outstanding service to youth, Annette received the Silver Fawn Award from the Boy Scouts of America.

When not working or volunteering, she nurtured her passion for theater. This involved enrolling in acting lessons given by the renowned Japanese director, Seki Sano, as well as being a founding member of the Theater Workshop in Mexico City. Over the years she performed in numerous plays and took on roles in various movies and TV shows. Additionally, she excelled in coaching Clive, Claire, and Amy with their school oratory contests (entering them was not an option!) resulting in quite a few first-place awards.

Following her retirement, Annette spent many years traveling all over the world in the company of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, creating many cherished memories for those that loved her. Her final trip was a memorable cruise to Alaska at age 98.

Annette is survived by her son, Clive Dawson and wife, Marianne Hopper of Austin, Texas; by her daughter Claire Dawson Chase and husband Patrick of Minneapolis, Minnesota; by her daughter, Amy Dawson of Oakland, California; by four grandchildren who lovingly knew her as “Bama”, Anthony Dawson and wife Bhumika (Pandey), Jeanne Chase and husband Steven Neu, James Chase and wife Megan (Hervey), and Violet Angell; by seven great-grandchildren, Dean and Lucy Dawson, Samuel, Eric, and Ethan Neu, and Ella and Luke Chase; and by her niece Gloria Meckel Tarpley (George) and nephews Frank Meckel (Alexandra) and Charles Meckel.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Joseph Meckel and Anne Marie Bouras, by her loving husband, Samuel George Atkins, and by her brother and sister-in-law, Frank and Gloria (Marsa) Meckel.

Annette will be laid to rest next to Sam in the French Cemetery (Panteón Francés de la Piedad) in Mexico City, Mexico, the city where her remarkable journey began.

The funeral will take place on June 26, 2023. We will be at Gayosso on Colima 254, Colonia Roma, from 9:00 AM to noon. A mass will be said from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. At noon we will depart for the cemetery (Ave. Cuauhtémoc between Eje 3 Sur and the Viaducto Miguel Alemán). Burial will take place at 1:00 PM.